Biden designates two new California national monuments, protecting 848K acres

Just two weeks before his presidency ends, President Joe Biden designated two more national monuments in California, spanning 848,000 acres - the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument.

The Chuckwalla National Monument creates the Moab to Mojave Conservation Corridor - the largest corridor of protected land in the United States, covering 18 million acres that stretch around 600 miles.

“Both the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument, which is located in northern California’s mountainous interior, will protect clean water for communities, honor areas of cultural significance to Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples, and enhance access to nature,” reads the White House fact sheet. “Today’s announcements follow years of work by Tribal Nations, Indigenous peoples, community leaders, conservation organizations, renewable energy companies, utilities, local businesses, state and local officials, and members of Congress who have worked to ensure that future generations can experience, learn from, and enjoy these irreplaceable resources.”

The areas cover the ancestral homelands of the Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mojave, Quechan and Serrano, Pit River and Modoc nations containing ancient trails, religious sites and petroglyphs. Additionally, the areas are home to over 50 protected or endangered species.

We could not be more excited that federal leaders are hearing our call to protect these sacred lands,” said Brandy McDaniels, Sáttítla National Monument Lead for the Pit River Nation. “There has been overwhelming support for this monument, as demonstrated at the USDA’s listening session recently. We have many diverse voices that are passionate about protecting what makes this region unique and following decades of defending our ancestral homelands, the Pit River Nation welcomes the news that our voices and the voices of our Ancestors are finally being heard.

The Biden administration has also noted that designating these areas as national monuments contributes to needed water conservation. The Chuckwalla National Monument protects Colorado River water to the 40 million individuals living in the Coachella Valley and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument is home to one of the largest volcanoes in the country where water filters through the porous rock, storing an amount of water equivalent to the 200 largest surface reservoirs in California for Northern Californians.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom noted that this designation brings the state closer to its goal of conserving 30% of land and coastal waters by 2030. The addition now brings the state to 25.81% conserved at 26.1 million acres.

Newsom also pointed towards studies that show a correlation between designating national monuments and job and economic growth. According to Newsom, there has been a 10% increase in the number of local businesses and an 8.5% increase in jobs within 25 kilometers of the designated areas.

Joshua Tree National Park alone saw 3,064,000 visitors in 2021 — a 119% increase since 2011 — contributing $121.9 million to local economies and supporting over 1,500 jobs,” reads a press release from the governor’s office. “Protected areas like Chuckwalla and Sáttítla create opportunities for businesses in sectors such as transportation, lodging, restaurants, retail, and outdoor recreation. A 2014 report by ECONorthwest estimated that recreation on BLM-managed lands within 50 miles of recreation sites in California generated $305.2 million (inflation-adjusted to 2022) in direct spending. This economic activity supports vital community services like safety, fire, recreation, and libraries through local tax revenues.”

The designations only apply to federal lands, not state or private lands so it will not affect existing rights and will allow for other activities “including hazardous fuels reduction in the forests of the Sáttítla Highlands and military training in both national monuments,” and “the construction and expansion of electric transmission and distribution within the monument to transport clean energy to western cities,” according to the White House fact sheet.